The Best Medicine
by Blue Quartz Foxy
Summary: The Nara clan is known for two things: Deer and medicine. And thanks to one bothersome grandmother and some medicine containing a dubious ingredient, Shikamaru and Hinata lives may never be the same again. Rating will go up to M soon.
1. Of Meddlesome Grandmothers

The Best Medicine

Notes: I know, I know, I need to stop posting new stories and update the ones I have up already, but I have an excuse for this fan fic! What I do…no seriously I do!

-cough- This fan fic started by a little plot bunny that SpammishRice offered up to writers for SunnyClouds Shika/Hina LJ community to adopt, nurture, care for, then release it out into the realm of fandom so that it might bring joy…

Err…okay to be honest, I'm an inspiration hog. Not like I have enough of my own plot bunnies, but I must also adopt the adorable plot rabbits of others. There, that's the 'real story', happy now?

And if the summary didn't give it away, yes this is Shika/Hina again- I seem to be enslaved by this pairing. But I'm actually enjoying my stay in captivity, they feed me well here…

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P.S: Check out SpammishRice's Naruto fan art on DeviantArt- same username- because her drawings are wonderful, plus she's the one who came up with this challenge… ah but not until you've finished reading this chapter first, m'kay?

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Had enough of my author's notes? Tough because I have one more, albeit annoying and obligatory, thing to do:

Disclaimer: I do not own rights to anything from the anime/manga series Naruto, characters included.

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Chapter One

Of Meddlesome Grandmothers

A small copper key inserted then twisted into the lock, a hand pushed lightly, allowing the door to swing open.

"Ah, you're here early…for once…" a old woman wearing a dark green kimono remarked, one wrinkled hand curled around the head of a cane, while the opposite hand moved to comb through shoulder length silvery-gray hair.

The intruder yawned once, black sleeve covered arms reaching up, "Good morning to you too, grandma," the young man said.

Dark brown eyes framed by the slightest of age wrinkles narrowed as the woman known as 'grandma' spoke up, "What on earth is wrong with you child? You drag in to help me at the medicine shop late in the morning, almost noon in fact. Yet you always sound so exhausted."

Shikamaru shrugged off a thick winter coat, his hands unwinding a scarf from around his neck.

"I haven't been sleeping well, that's all…" he admitted aloud.

"Oh really now?" Grandmother asked, a silver eye brow arched.

"Could your sleepless nights have something to do with a girl?"

The older woman watched in amusement as Shikamaru's shoulder blades tensed up, 'Ah ha! Got cha! There is someone,' the grandmother mentally crowed to herself.

Yet she was far too sly to mention it aloud. Instead she used the Twenty Questions no Jutsu- specifically designed for and by grandmothers to milk information out of their children's offspring.

"A girlfriend perhaps?" Grandmother 'innocently' inquired while combing through her hair, as if the woman hadn't a care as to whether Shikamaru answered her or not.

Shikamaru sighed a little, "No grandma, I don't have a girlfriend."

"A crush then?" Grandmother asked around a hair clap she placed between her lips to hold while her right hand moved to pull her hair up into a neat bun. Meanwhile, her eyes gauged Shikamaru's reactions to her questions.

"No, I'm almost nineteen, grandma. I'm too old for 'crushes', besides crushes are more of a girl thing…" Shikamaru mumbled under his breath.

However, the movement of his eyes from being level, to floor, to ceiling, did not go unnoticed by the old woman.

"Don't you dare roll your eyes at me child. When your father was your age, he pulled that particular stunt far too often for my liking."

Grandmother wore a smug smile as she saw to surprised look on Shikamaru's face, which quickly turned to an expression of remorse, "Sorry grandma, it won't happen again."

Grandmother snorted as she secured her hair bun in place, "It'd better not, or I'll take a couple of kunai to those eyes. That will keep them from rolling about in that pretty little head of yours, hmm?" she ribbed with a loud cackle.

"Ah ha ha…yeah that's really…funny grandma." Shikamaru said nervously as he edged closer to the wall, just in case the old woman made good on her threat.

"So," Grandmother said, seamlessly easing back into questions mode, "If you don't have a girlfriend, or even have a crush on a girl; then…are you gay?"

Shikamaru froze in place, his shoulders going tense again, which amused the elderly woman to no ends.

"I'll take that as a yes then." Grandmother said with a sigh, "Such a pity. I really wanted great-grand babies, but I suppose if you and your lover asked some nice woman to be a surrogate that could work out too…"

"I don't like guys!" Shikamaru blurted out.

"Are you sure?" Grandmother coyly.

"Yes! I'm not interested in guys, I just don't have a girlfriend yet." Shikamaru said, attempting to defend himself.

"Oh, okay then, but you don't have to act so offended. If you keep acting so high strung, people are going to think something aside from sleep deprivation is wrong with you…" the older woman said with a soft smile.

"Now," Grandmother said while pulling on a green apron over her kimono, "Let's get to work, can't keep the customer's waiting forever, can we?" she asked while leaning on her cane, carrying herself across the room to the door.

After following his grandmother out of the kitchen portion of her house and stepping across the threshold of the medicine shop, Shikamaru blinked, his eyes adjusting to the dim lighting as compared to the brighter florescent lights of the house.

"Shikamaru-kun," Grandmother began, "I think you've forgotten something?"

"Hn?" the young man questioned as he turned to the face older woman only to turn pale as she held up a frilly green apron in front of him.

"You know that this is the work uniform, but you keep forgetting to put it on." Grandmother said calmly, yet there was a menacing look in her eyes that scared Shikamaru.

"Uh its okay grandma, I don't need an apron. I know how to properly handle the medical ingredients…"

The old woman lowered her arm and gaze, "Oh I see…you're too old to wear something I spent hours…no days sewing just for you."

"Ah grandma please it's not that I don't want to wear it…" Shikamaru started, attempting to lie through his teeth.

"Then why won't you wear it then?" Grandmother questioned, yet interrupted before Shikamaru could stop her, "No…no don't tell me, I'm sure you'll only hurt my feelings. It really isn't my fault that I couldn't spoil you when you were growing up…or is it? Maybe it is…"

Grandmother sniffled, causing Shikamaru to cringe and feel like the biggest heel on the planet- he just made an old woman, his grandmother at that, cry!

But the question was, should he sacrifice what little was left of his male pride to wear a lace covered apron- and the cute wide-eyed chibi deer decal on the front wasn't helping the masculinity factor either- and make his grandmother feel better?

Or should he wallow in pride and leave the poor woman heart broken?

Swallowing a hard lump in the center of his throat, Shikamaru lowered his head in shame yet extended his right arm to take the apron from his grandmother.

"No you don't have to wear it…" Grandmother protested at first, but didn't do so strongly enough since she all but shoved the length of fabric at Shikamaru.

"It's alright grandma, I'll wear it." Shikamaru said shimming through the hole on the top for his head, then tying- though taking great pains- the little strings in the back.

"Oh, Shikamaru-kun...you look so…adorable." Grandmother said, wiping a crocodile tear from the corner of her right eye.

"…Thanks…" Shikamaru muttered dryly, trying not to think about what Ino, Chouji, or anyone he knew for that matter, would think if they caught him wearing the frilled monstrosity.

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Wide pale lavender eyes blinked slowly as Hinata found herself at the very end of a long line of customers.

'Oh dear…' the young woman thought to herself as Hinata looked down at the long list of medicines her father sent her out to the Nara clan to retrieve. Most of the medicines Hinata could easily recognized by their main ingredients; but one item in particular puzzled the young heiress.

'Extract of deer antler velvet?' Hinata wondered to herself, her pale eyes looking to the right of the parchment to find out what aliment such a strange sounded concoction would cure or ease.

But unlike the medicines which their expressed purpose written beside the name, deer antler velvet had nothing written beside it; which Hinata found to be strange.

"Maybe it's something personal for father and he doesn't want anyone else to know what it's for…" Hinata mused aloud, only to give a short gasp, quickly quelling her voice when an elderly man in front turned and stared at the small Hyuuga woman.

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"And then the sucker started to grow a little every day. I tell you, it made it a pain in the ass to sit down what with that big zit down there, ya know what I mean?" the old man said with a chuckle.

"Uh…yeah, unfortunately I know what you mean." Shikamaru grumbled as he tried to hurry up with gathering up the customer's medicines. Anything to get the guy to shut up about a disgusting boil located in an unmentionable place.

But even though Shikamaru tried his best to hurry with the medicine orders and shoo the old man away, the geezer kept telling his tale of horror.

"I guess that's what I get for wandering about. But ever since my good wife, bless her soul, passed on I've been very lonely…" the old man paused to sigh,

"So, I thought it wouldn't hurt to go to the brothel. Well…after the thing started to swell and ooze this funny looking pus, I figured there is a reason my mother told me to not touch whores with a ten foot pole; let alone with something like my…"

"Okay, here's your medicine." Shikamaru said abruptly, all but tossing the bag into the old man's chest, "You've already paid so good bye."

"But…I didn't have a chance to tell you what color the pus was!" the old man protested.

"Good bye." Shikamaru repeated, this time with a tone of finality which couldn't be argued with.

Behind Shikamaru, Grandmother sniggered to herself, "You didn't have to be so rude to him Shikamaru-kun. He is family after all."

A fine shiver of disgust rolled down Shikamaru's spine, "Yet another reason his story was making me sick to my stomach. I really don't want to know when one of my great uncles goes out to a brothel or what he comes back with…" he shivered again.

Another warm chuckle came from the elderly woman, "So…you never even entertained the idea about going to a brothel? You know for practice?"

Grandmother nearly fell off her stool as she saw Shikamaru's face contort into a mix look of revulsion and horror.

Shikamaru coughed once, not quite trusting his voice as he spoke, "No! Why waste time on some girl I'm never going to see again or have any plans of marrying."

"Pst, it doesn't have to always be about marriage." Grandmother said in a scoffing tone of voice, "Why when Shikaku was your age he had most of the girl's his age and even a few older than him coming to the house all the time. And I doubt they went upstairs to his room to 'study the finer points of ninjutsu'."

For a moment Shikamaru thought he would choke on air, "What?!'

Grandmother shrugged, "What…what? You thought your father was clean as the driven snow? Hn, hardly. He's probably done more girls than most young bucks your age ever dreamed of having."

"But…my mom…" Shikamaru said, close to sputtering so shocked about this little tidbit about his father.

"Shikaku married her of course, had you, and…do we really need to have a history lesson Shikamaru? We have customers to serve."

Shikamaru stood rooted in place. For one horrible moment he had a vision of having a bunch of illegitimate brothers and sisters who were older than him.

'When I was a kid and wanted siblings, I don't think I asked for something like that!' Shikamaru thought to himself before dumbly turning around to serve the next customer in line.

"Can I help you?"

"S-Shikamaru-kun?"

Dark brown eyes blinked slowly as Shikamaru forced himself to come out of his daze to realize the customer standing in front of the counter was a very familiar face.

Hinata curiously tilted her head to one side.

'Shit…' Shikamaru thought to himself, remembering the stupid frilly apron he was wearing.

"Uh, could you wait right here for one second?" Shikamaru asked.

Hinata blinked, but didn't have a chance to say anything since Shikamaru quickly ducked behind one of the shelves, his fingers flying to unknot the ties of the apron, carelessly tossing it behind him.

The apron flew in the air, landing right on Grandmother.

Dark eyes blinked suddenly as her vision grew dim, "Oi! What prankster turned out the lights?!" she yelled while struggling to pull the apron off her head.

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Hinata's eyes blinked slowly, bemused as Shikamaru returned, sans the apron.

'Ah…and it kind of looked cute on him too…' Hinata thought to herself with a small frown, yet her displeasure was forgotten in a flash as the Hyuuga heiress realized she just called Shikamaru- even if it was in her mind- cute.

A light pink blush graced the young woman's cheeks, a reaction Grandmother picked up on quickly.

"Sorry about that Hinata," Shikamaru started to say, "So, can I help you with anything?"

"Um, yes actually…" Hinata replied as she pulled out a folded piece of paper, "My father sent me to restock our clan's medicine supply."

"Ah, your old man has you on gopher duty again." Shikamaru said first, but then his face split into a cheeky grin, "Or did you volunteer to come just to see me?"

Grandmother blinked, shocked to hear what was being said.

'Is my grandson trying to…flirt with her?' she wondered to herself while watching the Hyuuga give a small 'squeak' her face turning a darker shade of flushed pink.

"N-no! I didn't even know you worked here!" Hinata protested quickly.

"I usually don't work…"

"Hm, you can say that again!" Grandmother piped up.

Shikamaru glanced over his shoulder to glare at the old woman before completing his sentence, "I usually don't work in my grandmother's medicine shop; but since her husband is gone my parent's pushed me into doing this."

Grandmother snorted, "Sorry if being here is such an inconvenience, brat."

Sighing once, Shikamaru turned a little to show Hinata the old woman sitting on the stool, "Hinata, this loud mouth toad is Grandma Miyako, Grandma Miyako, this is Hyuuga Hinata."

Hinata bowed once respectfully, careful not to hit the medicine counter when she stood up again, "It's a pleasure to meet you Miyako-san," the girl said.

"Ah, finally a child with some manners. You would do well to take a cue from her Shikamaru-kun," the crone said with a chuckle.

"But all the same, there is no need to be so formal towards an old woman like me, just call me grandma child and we'll call it even."

Surprised, Hinata moved to protest that she didn't feel right calling Miyako 'grandma'; but Shikamaru stopped her with a simple shake of his head.

"Let her have her way Hinata, it's easier that way." Shikamaru said in a low tone of voice in hopes his grandmother wouldn't hear him; yet Shikamaru didn't find himself to be so lucky.

"That's right grandson, you're learning fast. It is always easier to let a woman have her way. Speaking of women and their ways…" Miyako mused as she stood up, leaning on her cane to walk away from the stool to approach the medicine counter.

Dark eyes squinted as Miyako attempted to lean over the edge of the counter to get a better look at Hinata, who squirmed at the staunch stares sent her way.

'Hmm she's got rather big breasts for someone her age and height, even though she's well covered with a jacket I can see them from here. And those wide hips…good for child bearing…' Miyako mused to herself.

"Are you married yet child?" she asked.

Hinata's face flushed, "Um no Miyako-san…"

"Grandma!" the old woman said sharply.

"Grandma…" Hinata repeated quietly.

Shikamaru was tempted to rein his grandmother in, Hinata seemed to look more flustered with each passing second spent in the older woman's company; but the list Hinata handed him needed to be taken care of first.

However, Shikamaru found himself distracted by Miyako and Hinata's conversation.

"Betrothed to anyone?"

Hinata shook her head, "No Mi…Grandma."

"Hn, much better, you're catching on quickly. Seeing someone perhaps?"

Shikamaru looked up from the shelves of bottles, his right hand caught in air, just before he reached to grab something, his head turned slightly to the right waiting for Hinata's response.

"Uh no grandma," Hinata replied, her face turning a darker shade of blush as lavender eyes unconsciously looked up from the ground to where Shikamaru was working.

By chance both caught each other staring; Shikamaru quickly looked away first, but ended up knocking over a bottle of medicine in the process.

"Damnit…" the young man cursed while trying to get the scattered pills back into their bottle.

Grandma Miyako quietly watched the whole circus unfolding before her.

'So he doesn't have a crush on anyone eh? Well we'll just see about that won't we?' Miyako schemed.

"Ah! You would be perfect then for my grandson!" the old woman exclaimed, her hands clapping together, "He's single, round about your age…"

Shikamaru attempted to distract himself with the task of filling the Hyuuga clan's orders; couldn't however stop himself from listening any more than he could stop his ears from burning with embarrassment.

"O-oh really?" Hinata said, her face and ears were burning too, only her reaction was more visible than Shikamaru's.

"Yes, so what if I were to set up a date between you and my grandson…Shikataro?"

More bottles fell, followed by vivid cursing from an aggravated young man.

"Shikataro?" Hinata questioned, blinking wide lavender eyes while looking at Grandma Miyako, while wondering if Shikamaru was alright since it sounded like a lot of stuff had fallen in the back room.

Miyako nodded, "Now I'll admit he's a bit young now, just turned fourteen; but I'm sure a nice girl like you wouldn't mind waiting a few years. And despite being so young, Shikataro isn't half bad looking, he'll be a lady killer given a year or two," the old woman said with a wink.

"Uh I'm…flattered that you would consider me Grandma; but I'm afraid that I can't date someone so young." Hinata said, attempting to gracefully decline Miyako's offer.

The old woman frowned, "And why not? Is a boy from the Nara clan not good enough for the likes of the exalted Hyuuga?" she sniffed in distain.

"No…no that isn't what I meant at all!" Hinata said waving her hands, "I just meant that…while I'm not seeing someone…I…I have someone in mind," the girl admitted.

'Ah now we're getting somewhere!' Miyako thought to herself.

"Who is it then?"

"Ah…no one in particular." Hinata tried to excuse, finding she had talked herself into an awkward corner.

Miyako frown hardened, "But you just said you had some young man in mind. You wouldn't be trying to lie to an old woman like me, would you?" she asked, now playing up the pity card.

'Of course I wouldn't Grandma," Hinata said sincerely, "It's just…" the young woman muttered, self-consciously rubbing the fabric of her heavy winter jacket, "I don't think he likes me, so…"

"So you can date my grandson instead, there that's final." Miyako said with a chirp.

"No, that isn't what I meant…" Hinata said, honestly confused as to what she had agreed…or disagreed with.

Finally, Shikamaru came back to the front of the medicine shop, his arms loaded down with most of the medicine the Hyuuga clan head requested.

"Grandma, stop teasing Hinata." Shikamaru warned as he placed the bottles on the counter and pulled out a pen and paper to calculate the cost.

"Hmph, shows what you know! I'm not teasing her, I'm trying to secure a wife for your younger cousin." Miyako said with an innocent smile, which fooled only Hinata and no one else.

"B-but Grandma, I never agreed to marry your grandson!" Hinata said, trying to defend herself from premature marriage to a teenage boy.

"Shikataro is too young to date." Shikamaru interjected as he started to fill out the first column of figures.

"Who says he's too young?" Miyako argued, "Your grandfather pursued me when we were both twelve and we've been happily married for almost fifty years."

Shikamaru shrugged, "Maybe, but that doesn't happen with everyone Grandma."

Grandma snorted, "So say you, Mister- I'm- not- interested- in- girls."

Shikamaru glanced up at that moment, "I'm interested, I just choose not to act like a male whore out to get laid…" he grumbled, referring to his father and Shikaku's supposed conquests.

It didn't occur to Shikamaru Hinata was still standing in front of the medicine counter, until he heard her gasp in shock.

Daring to look up at her, Shikamaru swallowed uneasily, "Sorry, Hinata."

"It's okay…" Hinata said quietly, but it was clear the girl was still a bit surprised by Shikamaru's statement.

"Hinata-chan," Miyako said with a sigh, "Be honest, are you trying to back out of marrying my grandson because you think the Nara men are ugly?"

It was Hinata's turn to swallow as she awkwardly attempted to look anywhere save from Shikamaru's curious glance and Miyako's eager eyes.

"I…I don't think I ever said that boys from the Nara clan are ugly, Grandma…" Hinata said, trying to side step around the question.

"Unattractive then?" Miyako questioned.

Hinata shook her head as cheeks flushed with color once more, growing darker as she started to feel the weight of Miyako and Shikamaru's stares.

"What about this guy then?" Miyako asked, pinching Shikamaru's right cheek between her fingers.

"Ow! Grandma cut it out!" Shikamaru protested while trying to swat the old crone away from his face.

"Shikamaru-kun isn't unattractive or ugly, he's…kind of cute…" Hinata muttered softly, yet it was loud enough to get attention of grandmother and grandson.

Wide brown eyes stared at Hinata, only to cause the young woman to panic.

"O-or at least that's what I've heard other girls say about Shikamaru-kun! I…I really haven't thought much about it myself…" Hinata said, backpedaling away from her first statement.

The atmosphere between the trio suddenly became coiled and tense. Shikamaru broke the silence by coughing once, "Here's the bill Hinata, give this to your dad and tell him to send the payments before tomorrow morning."

Hinata meekly nodded, "I'll be sure to tell him," she said while taking the receipt and then reached for the bag of medicine.

However, Hinata quickly jerked her hand back when a cane swooped in between her fingers and the medicine bag.

"Grandma! What are you trying to do, break Hinata's fingers?" Shikamaru asked, while trying to move the cane.

'I'm not letting this one get away,' Miyako thought, 'This girl obviously likes him and I think Shikamaru is interested in her as well. This could be my only chance in pushing them along.'

"Ah, but I didn't want Hinata-chan to leave before I asked her one more question." Grandma said softly.

Both young adults stared in disbelief at the elderly woman, but neither had a chance to protest before Miyako leaned over the counter once more.

"How has your health been lately, child? I noticed that you look a bit pale around your face." Miyako inquired.

"Um well I'm still recovering from a cold I had a few weeks ago," Hinata admitted, "Other than that I feel fine."

"Colds. Bah! Awful ailments, especially in this chilly weather. I think we might have something for it though, wait right here," the old woman said as she turned to walk into the storage room of the medicine shop.

Leaving Shikamaru and Hinata to stare at Miyako's retreating form, utterly confused as to what was going through the old woman's head.

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Sandal covered feet shuffled into the dark room as a hand rose up to grasp the metal rung. One tug and a single florescent bulb turned on providing a very dim light to work by. But light or no light, Miyako knew the medicine cabinets like the back of her hand, since she worked with the ingredients and the end results for fifty plus years.

Grabbing a bottle simply labeled 'Vitamins' off one shelf, Miyako then moved further back into the storage room until she came upon a large glass box-shaped case.

The rarest and most valuable of Nara clan medicines sat in neat rows of dark green colored bottles. Pulling out a key from a hidden pocket in her kimono sleeve, the old woman unlocked the glass case and pulled out a single bottle.

A yellow and fading label pasted to the bottle read, 'Deer Antler Velvet Extract'.

Eyeballing the contents, then lightly shaking the bottle, Miyako estimated there were about a hundred or so pills left of the potent medicine.

"Hm fifty ought to do for now…" Miyako mused as she uncapped both the Vitamin and the Deer Velvet Extract bottles.

She poured out half of the vitamin pills and deer velvet extract onto a wooden pill counter, separating the amounts evenly, fifty to fifty.

However, the even split left Miyako with a bit of a dilemma. She had fifty of each medicine, not enough to sell, but at the same time too much to simply throw away.

Then…an idea came to her.

Miyako grinned slyly as she recapped the 'Vitamin' bottle, pocketed the other medicine bottle along with an empty one she picked up, locked the glass box; then left the storage room.

Patting her concealed pockets, Miyako couldn't help but smile, 'If all goes well, maybe I'll be able to get a few great-grand babies from my lazy good-for-nothing grandson.'

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While Grandma Miyako took her time gathering up the medicine, Shikamaru and Hinata were holding an awkward staring-yet-not-quite-staring-contest.

'She called me cute…right?' Shikamaru asked himself, his fingertips lightly drumming against the wooden counter top, 'But then she took it back…' the young man thought with a frown.

Hinata for her part kept replaying the same conversation and her almost confession.

In a few weeks, Hinata mentally marked down it would be a full year since she told Naruto how she felt.

One whole year…had it really been so long ago?

Hinata realized before now she had been too busy- with helping Kurenai-sensei raise her almost three-year old son, missions, and training for the Jounin exams- to think on how she felt about Naruto, Shikamaru, or any boy for that matter.

Shyly, Hinata looked up, stealing a glance at Shikamaru, who thankfully was too distracted to notice her.

'We do get along well together, but…' Hinata's gaze looked to the ground, 'I never thought of dating anyone other than Naruto-kun before.'

"Here we are…" Miyako said, interrupted both Hinata and Shikamaru in their silent musing by slamming down a medicine bottle on the counter.

Hinata reached over to pick up the bottle, reading the label, then looked to Miyako, "Uh thank you Grandma, but I really don't need…"

"Nonsense! Of course you need something to keep yourself healthy. You might be young child, but colds, flu's, and other nasty illnesses can make you older before your time. So, I suggest you take one vitamin pill every morning and at the same time."

"But this wasn't on my clan's list and I don't have any money with me…" Hinata protested, but it was in vain.

"Pst, nonsense think of it as a 'thank you' gift." Miyako said.

'Thank you? Thank you for what?' Shikamaru wondered as he eyed Grandma suspiciously.

"I really couldn't' take this without paying," Hinata started, only to be cut off yet again by Miyako.

"You'll take it, now you'd better hurry home to give your father that receipt. Hopefully the bastard will remember to pay us this time!"

"Grandma, cut it out." Shikamaru scolded as he watched Hinata's face pale.

"But…I…" Hinata said, still trying to get Miyako to take the medicine back, until Shikamaru reached out to lightly grasp her hand.

"Hinata, I think it's better if you quit trying to argue with her and just take the medicine," he then looked to Grandma, "She won't take it back even if you forced her to."

Gently easing her hand out from Shikamaru's grasp, Hinata nodded once, "Alright, I'll take it; but I will speak to father on paying you two promptly and give a bit extra for the vitamins."

"Good girl," Miyako said with a smile, "Now you'd better go, we do have other customers to serve today."

Hinata nodded once more, but then her gaze turned to Shikamaru. For a split second, Hinata thought about apologizing for her rather awkward statement; but at the last second lost the nerve.

Instead she bowed, "Good bye Grandma. And Shikamaru-kun…"

The young man looked up, a curious expression on his face as he waited for Hinata to finish her sentence.

The girl's face flushed, coughing once to clear her throat, "You'll be over at Kurenai-sensei's apartment to visit us soon…right?" she asked.

"If I have the time," Shikamaru admitted, a promise, yet not quite one at the same time.

Still, it made Hinata smile, "Ah, I'll see you later today then, goodbye for now," she finished before turning around to walk away.

If Miyako had so much as a sliver of doubt her plan would fail, it was quickly forgotten when the old woman watched Shikamaru's eyes follow Hinata as the girl walked on.

'Phase one is complete…' the old woman thought to herself, once again patting her kimono pocket, 'Though I think Phase two might be a bit more difficult to complete…' she thought while looking at her grandson.

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Notes: I know this fan fic is off to a slow start, but I promise once the plot gets moving along there will be more romance, more humor, and the rating will climb up pretty quickly, so just bear with me for a few more chapters, m'kay? Thanks for reading!


	2. The Other Boyfriend

The Best Medicine

Notes: I really should be updating my older and once-considered-abandoned fan fiction works instead- or rather I should get back to work period - Anyway, thank you so much everyone for your reviews, sorry that I couldn't reply to every single one of them. I hope you will enjoy this next chapter.

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Chapter Two

The Other Boyfriend

The following morning:

Shikaku yawned once, stretching arms over his head until a loud and satisfying 'pop' crackled from the limbs. The next step involved pulling a shirt over his head and loose pants around his waist. After getting dressed the elder Nara exited the bedroom, yawning and lightly scratching a spot on his stomach as he took the stairs to the lower level of the house one at a time.

His old team didn't have any missions planned, so Shikaku's day involved only the following: Breakfast. Play a bit of shougi at the gaming parlor sometime after lunch. Then he'd meet up with Chouza and Inoshi later that evening for some drinks.

The rest of the day…well…

Shikaku smirked to himself. A good portion of his plans depended on what sort of mood Yoshino decided she wanted to be in today. If she was the least bit crabby, Shikaku was smart enough to know better than to ask, but if there was the slightest hint of interest from her…well then maybe he could forget taking in a game or two of shougi at the gaming parlor. But, he also realized that all would be for naught if Shikamaru somehow bailed out on helping at the medicine shop today.

'That would be just my luck. I have a day off, Yoshino would be in a good mood for once, yet we wouldn't be able to get the boy out of the house for anything.' Shikaku mused sourly.

When he first became a father, Shikaku knew he could just dump Shikamaru off onto his mother or Yoshino's older sister, for an afternoon. Those days were pure bliss, he and Yoshino could have the house to themselves- without them being interrupted by a screaming infant, a whinny toddler, or a noisy and inquisitive kid, who poked his nose around places he didn't need to be snooping around in.

As Shikamaru got older, and way too smart for his own good, Shikaku often found himself having to talk fast in order to cover up the fact that 'momma and daddy' weren't exactly cleaning the upstairs bedrooms.

And it got worse as Shikamaru became a teenager, because thanks to the stupid sex ed course at the ninja academy, the boy got wise as to what was going on.

But instead of running off to be elsewhere; Shikamaru would sit in the living room or kitchen, waiting to give both of his parent's accusatory stares, as if he was trying to shame them for doing something that was not only natural, but their marital right.

'Thank god Yoshino didn't want anymore kids. It's difficult enough to boot the one we have outside to do something with himself.' Shikaku thought as he reached the kitchen.

The first thing Shikaku saw was Yoshino. Her back was turn to him, so he could only see her dark hair held back in a low ponytail and slender shoulders covered by a modest dress, which in itself was covered over by a white apron.

Shikaku smirked again, his fingers itching to go in for the kill, but he stopped himself just short of doing anything even mildly perverse. Or at least he waited long enough to look around to make sure his smart-ass son wasn't lurking around somewhere.

Coast clear, since Shikamaru was most likely still asleep upstairs, Shikaku silently crept up behind his wife.

Yoshino was far too occupied with cutting up bits of smoked fish to notice Shikaku; yet her husband made sure she stood up and took notice of him when his fingers reached right between the fabric of the dress and goosed her.

"Ahhh!" Yoshino squealed, turning around with a knife in hand, "Shikaku! How many times have I told you NOT to do that?!" she demanded while waving the sharp kitchen utensil within inches of Shikaku's goatee.

"I could have cut myself…or stabbed you and I can't promise the latter would have been wholly an accident, you bastard!" Yoshino yelled, yet she found her tone of voice wasn't quite reaching her husband, what with that smug look on his face.

"I was just playing around…" Shikaku defended, his hands up to show Yoshino that his intentions, while not pure, were good.

"Next time Shikaku, ask yourself if you want to 'play around' when I'm holding a knife that could easily castrate you with one well aimed swing." Yoshino said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

While many a sane man would take this as a clear sign he wouldn't get any today, Shikaku didn't give up easily.

He knew Yoshino and her moods better than anyone. Plus, if Shikaku always backed down from a quest for sex just because Yoshino yelled at him, made threats of bodily harm, and carried kitchen knives, then Shikamaru wouldn't have been born in the first place.

So instead of humbly cowering away to quietly sit down in a kitchen chair, Shikaku choose to hover around his wife as she prepared two obento boxes.

"We haven't eaten breakfast, yet you're already making lunch?" Shikaku asked, while reaching over to pick up a sliced cucumber.

"Yes…and hands off my cucumbers!" Yoshino said as she swung around to swat her husband's hand, but she was too slow since Shikaku taunted her by placing the ill gotten cucumber slice on his tongue.

"Cheeky asshole is what you are. You always do things right after I tell you not to." Yoshino remarked with a snort, yet her displeasure was quickly replaced by surprised, then subsequence embarrassment as she felt a rough hand wiggle it's way through the arm hole of her apron.

"Shikaku…?" Yoshino questioned, her mad-as-a-hornet-demeanor performing a near 180. The dark eyed woman's face flushed as curious fingers sought out to feel her up, despite being impeded by clothing.

Yoshino gasped and bit her bottom lip, eyes closed as Shikaku teased her by allowing his fingers to slip along her sides and tickle along her covered chest. Though his hand didn't come into contact with skin, Yoshino could feel the intention, so it made her skin flush in response to the lack of actual warmth of skin-to-skin touch.

'Damn all Nara males to hell…' Yoshino thought angrily even as she swayed into the teasingly gentle touches.

Coming in closer Shikaku pushed Yoshino's ponytail to one shoulder. He breathed against the back of the woman's neck, making her shoulders and back become stiff then melt into shivers once lips touched along a collarbone.

"Nh…" Yoshino moaned, "Stop it. We can't do this sort of thing in the kitchen you moron," she said while trying to maneuver her hands in an awkward position to push Shikaku's mouth away from kissing her neck.

"Why not?" Shikaku asked, voice muffled since his mouth remained pressed against Yoshino's neckline.

The woman shivered again as warm air brushed along skin. Feeling restless, Yoshino tried to ease her growing discomfort by shifting her weight to one foot. Yet despite her earlier protests, it didn't seem like Yoshino cared much where Shikaku decided they did it, because all of this tension and teasing was about to drive her mad.

Suddenly, the couple froze in place as their ears picked up the sounds of someone moving down the stairs.

"Dammit." Shikaku cursed, much to Yoshino's disapproval; but Shikaku couldn't help himself.

He was pissed!

He had been within seconds of getting some, only to be interrupted by the intrusion of their son.

'Stupid boy should have left two hours ago for the medicine shop.' Shikaku thought to himself with a moody frown.

However his sour mood didn't last long; because before Shikamaru walked into the kitchen, Yoshino got up on her tip-toes, her hands on either side of Shikaku's face and gave him one good hard kiss.

Before Shikaku could think about kissing back, Yoshino pulled back, her lips curling against his slack mouth while whispering.

"This isn't over. Once Shikamaru leaves…I'm all yours." Yoshino assured before the woman turned on her heel, attention turned back to the obento boxes she was preparing.

Momentarily moonstruck, much like he had been with Yoshino when they were teenagers, Shikaku could only smile dumbly and wander away to sit down at the kitchen table, across from his son.

------

Shikamaru was too occupied with rubbing sleep gunk out of his eyes to notice his parent's odd behavior. He did however see the funny looking smile his dad wore.

'Okay…I guess I missed something important…' Shikamaru thought to himself, yet figured it was in his best interest not to ask. Family life proved to Shikamaru early on that dumb questions did exist, same went for the phrase too much information.

"Shikamaru…" Yoshino began as she finished wrapping up the two obento boxes, "These are for you to take, so you and Grandma Miyako have something to eat. God knows the old dingbat can't cook…" she added with a touch of venom.

Shikaku cringed a little, "That's not very nice Yoshino."

"Hn, well that woman hasn't been very nice to ME over the years." Yoshino replied with a sniff of distain.

"That's because mom can't stand bossy people." Shikaku said under his breath.

Yet Yoshino's ears could pick up just about anything, especially if it was something said behind her back.

"Excuse me? Bossy people? Are you saying that I am bossy Shikaku?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, feeling an epic fight coming on he quickly took the boxes from his mother.

"I'm heading out!" he called over the growing noise of his parent's argument.

"Well maybe if you would stop barking orders at people maybe everyone wouldn't call you 'bossy'!" Shikaku shot back, yet it was more of a response to his wife than Shikamaru announcing he was leaving.

The couple bickered and fought right up until they heard the front door slam shut. Shikaku and Yoshino looked at each other before the husband questioned, "Is he gone?"

Yoshino leaned over to look over into the entry way. No teenage boy loitering around and his shoes were missing.

"Yes," Yoshino said with a nod, "He's gone…eep!" the woman squealed in surprise and indignation as Shikaku pulled at the skirt of her dress and flipped it up, exposing white panties.

"You…You cut that out right now!" Yoshino demanded.

Shikaku shrugged, "What's the point? You won't be wearing that dress for much longer anyway," the scared Jounin replied with a grin.

Seething Yoshino 'humph'ed' arms crossed over her chest, looking murderous.

'Oh shit…' Shikaku thought to himself. Fearing he had ruined his chances of getting laid, Shikaku tempered his smug smile into a more gentle, almost pleading expression.

"Yoshi," Shikaku purred, "You're not mad at me…right?"

Dark brown eyes narrowed as Yoshino tapped fingers against her forearms.

Shikaku winced, his use of her pet name hadn't budged the stubborn woman one bit.

"Baby, I tease you so much because I love you…"

"Beg." Yoshino said shortly, arms still unmoved from their strict stance.

Shikaku blinked, then paled. "Now, Yoshino, let's not do anything rash. I said I was sorry and you did promise me..."

"Beg." Yoshino repeated, "And I _might _ forgive your foolishness."

Shikaku swallowed uneasily.

"Do you want me to…" he looked down at Yoshino's socked feet. She wiggled her toes.

"Whatever, I don't care. Just beg in whatever way you think will please me." Yoshino replied blandly.

Shikaku gritted his teeth, yet still sunk to his knees. As he pulled off Yoshino's socks, the nearly fifty-year old man realized this was a lot of effort to put out in exchange for sex.

'The _joys_ of married life.' Shikaku thought bitterly as he leaned over to kiss his wife's feet.

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Slender and pale arms first stretched towards the white ceiling. Then the young woman bent over, wiggling her fingers as she performed her scheduled warm-ups.

"Hinata!" a girl's voice sounded just on the other side of the bedroom door.

"Come on in Hanabi, its open," the older sister said, just as Hanabi pushed the door aside and let herself in.

Hinata sank down on her right knee, stretching out her left leg, "Yes?" she asked.

Hanabi blinked, "You're just now doing your morning stretches?" the younger sibling asked.

The heiress nodded, yet had enough grace to blush as she admitted, "I sort of overslept."

Hanabi couldn't even attempt to smooth the smug look creeping along her face, "Picking up bad habits from your other boyfriend right?" the younger teased.

Hinata's blush suddenly intensified. She knew what Hanabi was going on about, since her teammate Kiba tormented her about the exact same thing.

"I don't know why…" Hinata started as she switched legs, "you and Kiba assume Shikamaru-kun is my boyfriend."

"Because he is!" Hanabi protested, "You hung out with Shikamaru more than you did with Fishy Cakes. Even though it was Fishy Cakes who was your boyfriend at the time."

"Naruto…" Hinata said softly.

"Hn?" Hanabi questioned.

Hinata got off her left knee to stand upright, "Please call Naruto by name, instead of using nicknames, Hanabi."

The younger sister shrugged, "Whatever. The point is, you were around Shikamaru more than you were around your boyfriend…"

"Naruto-kun was often away on missions last year." Hinata said softly, yet she wanted to avoid this conversation at all costs so she turned her attention to what had brought Hanabi to her room in the first place.

"Is that my vitamin bottle in your hand, Hanabi?" Hinata asked.

"Oh so that's what these things are!" Hanabi said, "I knew it wasn't something of mine so I came to see if it belonged to you, here."

"Thank you," Hinata said as she gingerly took the brown bottle from her younger sister.

"So what are these vitamins for anyway?" Hanabi asked yet interrupted her sister at the last second.

"Please don't tell me it's something to make your boobies grown even bigger. I already feel inadequate every time we take baths together…" the girl said, a sulking pout pulling down the corners of her lips.

"N-no! It's nothing like that!" Hinata said defensively as her gaze unconsciously gravitated towards her chest.

'It's not that I like having big breasts.' Hinata thought as her face flushed. If anything, Hinata almost considered if there was some sort of pill she could take to reduce her bust line…or something.

"Well…what are they for then?"

Hinata looked at the brown bottle in her hands, "I'm not quite sure, Grandma…I mean Miyako-san said these vitamins are going to prevent me from getting sick."

"So, it's kind of like an immunity booster, right?" Hanabi asked, again curious.

Hinata nodded, "Yes. Which reminds me, I should take one before I go downstairs for breakfast…" the eldest daughter mused.

"Alright, just don't take too long…otherwise I'll have to start calling you lazy Nara like your boyfrie…"

Hinata, tired of being teased, slid the door in front of Hanabi, shutting the younger girl out for a moment.

But only for a moment, since the door flung open as a cheeky girl leaned into the room yelling at the top of her lungs.

"Lazy Nara Hinata!"

It was one of the few instances in Hinata's life where she wasn't sure whether she wanted to curl up on the floor and die of embarrassment…or kill her littler sister…

---------------------------

"For crying out loud, boy. You show up later and later everyday!" Miyako remarked.

"Sorry, I overslept again." Shikamaru excused while pulling off his winter coat, gloves, and scarf, followed by him placing the bento boxes on the kitchen counter.

"Eh, no matter. We probably won't get much work done today anyway." Miyako said with a shrug.

'Then why did she make such a big deal about how late I was when I first walked in?' Shikamaru asked himself.

"Anyway, I've decided we'll go over our medicine supply, ingredient inventory, and of course square off with those who owe us money." Miyako said.

"So I doubt if we'll open the store today, save for emergency orders from the hospital of course."

Shikamaru nodded once in response while hanging up his scarf and coat.

"Might want to put those back on." Miyako said.

"Why?" the young man asked, his right hand caught between pulling away from the coat rack and reaching back towards it.

Miyako smiled, "I'm sending you out to square off our debts, namely with the Hyuuga clan. Hiashi thinks that I wouldn't notice that he didn't send us payment for yesterday, let alone not paying us from three months ago. Ha!"

"Alright, alright I'll go and see what I can do about getting payment from Hiashi-san." Shikamaru said with a small sigh, it was freezing outside and he hated cold weather.

"Oh and while you're there, check up on Hinata-chan. But then again I suppose you wouldn't need a reason to seek her out." Miyako teased.

Shikamaru paused in winding the scarf around his neck, "What?" he asked looking over his left shoulder back to his grandmother.

"Don't 'what' me, boy." Miyako said shortly, "I saw the way you were looking at her. I'm surprised that you did your work properly what with your eyes being glued to little miss Hyuuga."

Shikamaru snorted in response, but he couldn't stop his neck and face from looking flushed.

"That and your reaction to my suggestion of setting Hinata-chan up with your younger cousin is proof in of itself."

"I tripped and accidentally knocked the bottles over when I tried to keep myself from falling." Shikamaru said between gritted teeth, so tired of being teased and prodded into admitting…something by his grandmother.

"Tripped over what though? Your shoelaces…"

Both Shikamaru and Miyako looked at Shikamaru's shoes, they were modified covered sandals, no laces to keep them on the foot.

"Or perhaps it was your bruised ego that 'tripped' you up, since your younger cousin was about to get what you wanted." Miyako finished with a smug smile.

Shikamaru glared in response, but otherwise didn't say a word. Rather the young man pulled on his coat and moved to leave the building.

"Oh wait a second." Miyako called as she rushed back to the kitchen to pull Shikamaru's apron off the rack, "Since you're out on store business you need to wear this…"

The door slammed closed as Shikamaru ran for his life…or rather for his dignity.

Still holding the apron, Miyako smiled broadly, "Knew that would get him moving," she remarked.

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Once breakfast was over, a curious Hanabi snuck out behind the Main House quarters to find her older sister, who had been mysteriously absent from the table.

'Maybe I really made her mad this time.' Hanabi thought, feeling more than a little bit smug.

Hanabi liked to rile people up, namely Hinata. But Hinata rarely got angry with Hanabi's antics; unless it involved the younger poking a particular sore spot: her closeness to Nara Shikamaru.

Kiba was the first to tag Shikamaru with the label of "Hinata's 'other' boyfriend" since Team 8 and Team 10 spent a lot of time together helping Kurenai-sensei with her son.

For almost three years, Hinata and Shikamaru would spend the night at Kurenai's apartment for house-sitting/babysitting duties.

And Hanabi always found it strange that their father was okay with Hinata sleeping at another person's apartment- even if it was a mission- with just herself, a baby, and a teenage boy there.

Rumors about Hinata and Shikamaru started cropping up around the village not long after the two first babysat for Kurenai, staying at the older woman's apartment for days while the Jounin was away on an A rank mission. And the whispered words only got worse when Hinata started dating Naruto. Most said Hinata was some kind of slut who went from boy to boy without consequence.

Hanabi frowned, she and Neji tried to stave off those rumors from ever reaching Hinata, knowing it would devastate her if the young woman knew even a half of what was being said about her by petty and jealous people.

The members of the Rookie nine of course didn't believe Hinata was a slut; she was an honest person and wouldn't have strung either Naruto or Shikamaru around. But while they didn't believe the rumors, it didn't stop Kiba from teasing his female teammate about her and Shikamaru's strange relationship.

And it was strange. Shikamaru and Hinata, as far as Hanabi knew, didn't have anything in common save for the fact they both cared about Kurenai-sensei and her little boy. But the few times Hanabi happened to catch her older sister and the lazy Nara together, she would be puzzled by how comfortable they were around each other.

Shikamaru and her sister would laugh and talk so easily as if they had been best friends for years and years rather than being near perfect strangers three years ago.

Turning the corner, Hanabi found her older sister kneeling among sparse sprigs of green, which dared to defy the odds of being packed on all sides with cold snow and the lack of full sunlight.

"They're growing back already?" Hanabi asked, noticing how Hinata jumped a little, surprised at the sudden intrusion.

"Yes," Hinata said as she attempted to trim off brown and dying bits of the plants, "But only because we had a spell of warm weather a few weeks ago."

Kneeling down next to Hinata, Hanabi wrinkled her nose, "So you're saying the plants were fooled into growing because the warm weather made it seem like it was spring already?"

Hinata nodded, "Most likely, but I wouldn't worry too much about it Hanabi."

"Who's worried?" Hanabi asked with a small grin, "You're the one who babies these plants like they're your children."

Hinata agreed with a small shrug of her shoulders, yet she wouldn't be fully distracted from her gardening, "Hanabi hand me my small spade tool please?"

Looking behind her to the small wicker basket, Hanabi gingerly shuffled the tools, seed packets, and other gardening paraphernalia until she found the object Hinata requested.

"Thank you…" Hinata said taking the small spade from her sister, quickly turning around to dig into the frost and snow covered soil with some difficulty.

"What are you doing?" Hanabi asked, wondering if Hinata was going to pull the same stunt she did when things fell apart with Naruto.

Her elder sister went out the garden, seemingly calm and accepting of what had happened. But just when Hanabi turned her head again, she saw Hinata- calm, quiet, and non-confrontational Hinata- tearing up her plants, the very plants she had slaved over all spring.

It was violent work, and Hanabi honestly felt for a few fleeting minutes that her older sibling had lost her mind. It scared her to watch Hinata tear up the garden so Hanabi remembered waiting until every plant had been uprooted or destroyed.

So Hanabi was very relieved to see that Hinata's plans for the garden tool was to uproot the weeds which also assumed spring had come a month early.

Relieved, Hanabi moved to look for another small spade to help her sister, anything to make sure Hinata really was okay.

The weeks after the breakup were hard on Hinata. And Hanabi and Neji had no clue how to act around her, or handle the situation; especially since the rumors they attempt to keep away from the heiress managed to reach her anyway.

'And Sakura-san's outburst didn't help things either…' Hanabi thought, feeling bitter as she remembered the pink haired one coming to the Hyuuga compound to yell at Hinata.

'She had no right…' Hanabi thought as she moved to dig up a weed. Hinata kept saying that she'd forgiven Sakura; but Hanabi found she still held a grudge.

'So she broke up with Fishy Cakes, big deal…that's no reason for anyone to tear into my sister.' Hanabi thought fiercely, gritting her teeth since this particular weed was a stubborn little bitch.

"Um Hanabi, what are you doing?" Hinata asked, stopping mid-way from uprooting a weed.

"I'm helping you de-weed the garden." Hanabi said.

"Well…maybe you could start by pulling up an actual weed, rather than digging at the plants." Hinata helpfully suggested.

"What are you talking about? This is a weed!" Hanabi protested.

Hinata shook her head, "No, that's a mint plant. The smaller and stocker plant behind it, is a weed."

"Oh…" Hanabi said as she peered around behind the mint plant to see the weed, then without another word started digging into the ground to uproot the little bugger.

The spade planted itself deeply into the ground, but Hanabi found it difficult to move the tool around since the dirt was all but frozen. With a small grunt the girl leaned on the spade, trying to root it underneath the weed. No such luck.

Standing up, Hanabi tried kicking the spade down.

"Damn you…go down already! Down! Down I say!" Hanabi said, stomping cursing at the mini-spade.

Hinata tried to withhold from laughing at her younger sister. Hanabi had no patience to take care of a garden.

As if to prove Hinata's point, Hanabi pulled the mini-spade out of the ground and tossed it into the wicker basket.

"Screw it. I'm not about to do myself in just to get rid of one weed." Hanabi mumbled, arms crossed over her chest as if ignoring the weed was going to make it go away.

Of course it didn't help Hanabi's ego- and semi-green thumb- when she saw Hinata easily uproot the weed she was working on, then move on to the weed behind the mint plant.

"How do you do it?" Hanabi asked suddenly.

"Hm? Do what?" Hinata asked.

Hanabi brushed away bits of cold wet snow so she could sit down on cold, but dry, earth.

"Work hard at stuff without getting so frustrated you want to scream?" Hanabi inquired, resting her chin up against bowed knees.

"Well…with gardening I know that if I work hard on taking care of the plants, I'll be rewarded later on when they grow up and start producing fruit, flowers, and herbs I can use in medicines." Hinata said simply.

"And the same thing applies with training. If you work hard enough, eventually you'll be rewarded."

Hanabi sighed, "Sounds really boring…" she complained.

"Maybe so," Hinata conceded, "But it's the way I want to live my life, so I don't see it as being boring."

"If you say so." Hanabi mused, becoming bored. Not that Hinata was boring, rather Hanabi found her sister's hobbies- gardening, medicine preparation, and flower pressing, uninteresting.

Not ready to leave yet, Hanabi decided to activate her Byakugan to see what was going on around the compound. While the use of Byakugan within the family compound was frowned upon and discouraged, the warnings and disapproval didn't stop Hanabi from snooping around.

At first nothing interesting caught Hanabi's attention. But a quick scan back to the front gate revealed something that made the young woman smile.

Deactivating her Byakugan, Hanabi grinned from ear to ear as she got up to hover over Hinata.

Still working on the stubborn weed, Hinata barely glanced up as a shadow fell upon her.

"What is it Hanabi?" she asked while trying to wedge the spade between the mint plant and the weed.

"Hm? Oh nothing…" the girl said in a sing-song tone of voice.

Hinata sighed and shook her head before turning her attention back to the weed.

"It's just…we're going to have a visitor soon." Hanabi said, dangling the sentence above her sister like a carrot to tempt a hungry rabbit.

"Oh…that's nice." Hinata said softly, yet sounding more interested in the weed than who was coming to visit the Hyuuga clan.

Becoming ticked off at Hinata's lack of interest, Hanabi attempted to leave more clues, "I wonder what he's doing here, though?" the youngest said with a small shrug.

"Unless he's here to see someone in particular than it would make sense..." Hanabi continued, trying to bait Hinata into responding or at least ask who was standing outside the front gate.

Hinata concentrated on pushing the weed up out of the ground. It was difficult, yet delicate work since the weed's roots were deeply entangled around the roots of the mint plant; so Hinata knew if she wasn't careful she would end up…

"Shikamaru is waiting at the front gate!" Hanabi finally blurted out.

Hinata squeaked at the loud noise and accidentally pushed more to the right than to the left and ended up digging the mint plant out of the ground, whereas the weed stood proud and untouched.

The two sisters looked at the fallen mint plant, then looked at each other.

"Um Hinata…I'd hate to break this to you…but that isn't a weed." Hanabi commented.

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Notes: Sorry to end it here, but if I kept going then this chapter would have been very, very long. Also, I know this chapter wasn't very Shika/Hina- but don't worry we'll get more than enough of this pairing in later chapters. In addition, no I'm not out to make Naruto or Sakura out to be the 'bad guys' rather there is a whole history behind Naruto and Hinata, and yet another story about Sakura coming to the Hyuuga compound to chew Hinata out after the breakup. It will all be explained later- in flashbacks- so please be patient with me a little bit longer, m'kay? I hope you've enjoyed reading this.

Later


	3. The AntiDate: Part One

The Best Medicine

Notes: Happy Belated Valentines Day everyone!

I wanted to post this early since I know some of you guys were a bit miffed as to how chapter two didn't really focus on Shikamaru and Hinata at all. As promised our lovely couple will be around a lot, but there will also be some explanation about the past- namely Hinata's past with Naruto. So sit tight and expect this chapter to be yet another long, yet hopefully enjoyable, one.

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Chapter Three:

The Anti-Date Part One

'How did I let myself get talked into this?' Shikamaru asked himself, not for the first time when it came to him following Grandma's commands; because in a sense, Yoshino threatened to do bad things to him if Shikamaru didn't obey, Grandma however would follow through with the threats…he was sure of it.

'How Granddad puts up with her, I'll never know.' Shikamaru thought, one arm behind his head to rub a stiff neck.

While his excuse of sleeping in late had some credence, it wasn't quite the whole truth either. The truth being Shikamaru found it difficult to sleep last night and actually didn't doze off until early hours of the next morning.

It bothered him…Hinata's sudden outburst of: _Shikamaru isn't ugly or unattractive, I think he's kind of cute._

'But Hinata took it back, right after realizing what she said,' Shikamaru kept reminding himself, as if to strip away any importance that 'could' have been taken from the statement.

Yet at the back of his mind, Shikamaru knew Hinata well enough that she hated lying or filling silence with empty words. The girl still had difficulty getting out what she needed to say half the time, so why say something like that if it didn't mean something?

A heavy sigh escaped him and a felting thought of: 'I'm thinking too much about this': crossed the young Nara as he finally reached the front gates leading into the Hyuuga compound.

The guards must of recognized him from the few times he came by to pick up Hinata so they could go to Kurenai-san's place together for baby sitting duties; because they didn't give him any trouble, didn't ask him any questions, and simply opened the gates to let him in.

Shikamaru gave a brief nod of 'thanks'. He really wanted to avoid as much hassle as possible since Hiashi wasn't expecting him to show up in the first place.

A little bit too late, Shikamaru realized maybe it would have been better if he, or Grandma, had sent a scroll ahead. The Hyuuga clan didn't like visitors who came unannounced.

'Now…if I remember Hiashi's office should be this way.' Shikamaru mused, about the turn, until he heard girlish squeals and whispers coming a few feet right behind him.

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"See," Hanabi said while tugging on her elder sibling's hand, "I told you, Hinata. Now quit acting like a big baby and go over to him and say hello."

Hinata cringed, "But, Hanabi-chan, he can't be here just to see me. It could be some sort of clan business he has with Father. Or maybe he needs to recruit Neji-niisan for a mission. Shikamaru-kun has other…more important things to do than look for me…"

"Well," a voice drawled, "you're right about me being here on clan business Hinata…"

Hinata felt her face burn to an almost intolerable point, but still she tilted her head back.

Shikamaru tried hard not to smile as Hinata glanced backwards at him. She looked way too…cute; there he admitted it, that wasn't so bad.

Instead he smirked, hands shoved into the pockets of his pants, "But I think you're mistaken that I have better things to do than take the time to see you now and again."

'Nice one…' Shikamaru said to himself. Granted, flirting wasn't Shikamaru's preferred method of communication; but Ino kept scolding him for being so passive when it came to girls.

"_You'll never get anyone…let alone someone as shy as Hinata, if you don't step up and at least 'act' like you're the hottest thing to come around Konoha. Even though we all know that you're not, you could at least pretend you are around Hinata..."_

Ah good old Ino, she certainly knew how to make her friend- Shikamaru- feel like utter crap and at the same time dispense useful advice.

Hinata blush increased even more, making the girl's face turn red as her gaze went to look elsewhere. Obviously the older sister was floored, Hanabi on the other hand…

"Wow, Nara. I'm impressed, that was really corny even for you. Where did you get that pick up line from anyway? The back of a cereal box, maybe? Or is Kiba giving out free lessons on how to NOT pick up girls?" Hanabi snipped.

Shikamaru held the smirk in place, but now it looked more like a grimace: 'What the hell? I thought that was a pretty good line for being thought of on the spot.'

Still, not about to be defeated in a battle of wits by a teenager, Shikamaru's smirk returned looking more natural and at ease, and with a shrug he returned Hanabi's barb with: "And you should know more about Kiba than anyone else here…am I right?"

Wide eyed, Hinata forgot all about being flattered to pieces. Instead she wheeled on her younger sister, "Hanabi? …is that true?" she asked, looking shocked.

Slowly backing away, Hanabi had her hands raised high, "I…I plead the fifth!" she squeaked, while giving Shikamaru a death glare.

Unbothered by the look, Shikamaru motioned with his hands for the young Hyuuga to wander away and let the 'adults' talk.

Scowling, Hanabi did move along, but only a few feet. For once she rounded the corner of a building, Hanabi stayed in hopes of overhearing what was going on.

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Hinata was partly glad Hanabi was gone; she could talk to Shikamaru without having her cheeky and nosey sister interrupting them every other word. But, at the same time, Hinata felt ten times more nervous without her little sister chirping up beside her.

Hinata wasn't quite sure why but she had felt…"funny" since earlier that morning. And being around Shikamaru seemed to only fuel those funny feelings all the more. As of that moment, Hinata could feel her face all but burning from a blush. Rarely did she blush around Shikamaru. Sure he would say things which would cause her to blush, but not this much.

'It feels…almost like when I was around Naruto.' Hinata thought, suddenly struck with a horrible thought that maybe this was where her relationship with Shikamaru was going to next.

She would develop a crush on him. Get the courage to tell she liked him. They would go out for a few months…and somehow…things would fall to piece.

Closing her eyes and shaking her head, Hinata attempted to not think about that. It had hurt too much with Naruto, for Hinata to want to fall in love again, especially with Shikamaru.

'Shikamaru-kun is such a good friend to me. I don't want to…fall in love and ruin everything like last time.' Hinata told herself.

Watching the young Hyuuga woman, Shikamaru noticed the dark flush of her cheeks weren't dying down to her natural color.

Fearing her cold was coming back, Shikamaru dared to lean in closer, a palm pressed against the girl's forehead.

A small 'squeak' escaped Hinata, eyes still closed the girl dared to pry one open to look up at Shikamaru.

"You don't feel like you're running a fever…" Shikamaru muttered, "Are you sure you're over your cold though?"

Closing her eyes again, feeling oh so embarrassed, Hinata nodded.

"Um yes…sorry for making you worry, but really I'm fine."

"Hn," the fingers pulled away, the lack of contact made Hinata shiver.

"There has to be a reason your face is so red though. Is there is something on my face then? Clothes?" Shikamaru asked.

Surprised by the questions, Hinata opened her eyes fully this time. She looked at Shikamaru directly; saw no stain or crumbs, same with his clothes.

Hinata shook her head.

Shikamaru smirked again. Oh he knew the words about to leave his mouth were wrong…so very wrong; but it wouldn't stop.

"Is my fly undone then?" Shikamaru asked, looking to his pants.

Hinata, open-mouthed, didn't even dare to follow Shikamaru's gaze, closed her eyes for a third time- tightly- and shook her head violently from side to side; so much Shikamaru worried the girl was about to give herself whip-lash.

Hinata only stopped shaking her head, when two hands on either side of her face forced her to quit.

Opening her eyes yet again, Hinata bit back a small gasp when she found herself face to face with Shikamaru.

Dark brown eyes seemed to read her and it made Hinata feel flustered and uncomfortable. Her head felt light, while her insides felt heavy and all twisted up.

'Air…I need air… I have to get away from Shikamaru-kun so I can breathe.' Hinata thought to herself, yet while a part of her wanted enough space to take in oxygen, the girl also didn't feel like pulling away from his touch either.

A sigh escaped the young man, "Sorry…about that last part Hinata. It was just a joke. I didn't mean…" Shikamaru paused; he really didn't know what else to say. He wanted Hinata's attention, but not if she was going to act all shy and cagey around him.

Rather, Shikamaru greatly preferred how easily he could talk and understand Hinata. He would gladly take being able to strike a common cord with her, over the amusement of watching Hinata blush and all but stumble over herself when she was being flirted with.

'Maybe I should give up on this whole flirting thing.' Shikamaru thought as his fingers finally released her.

Hinata was surprised to find she actually missed the contact once Shikamaru pulled away. She shivered, 'I only missed having his hands on my face because it's so cold out here…yeah that's it.' Hinata assured herself.

Yes, cold. A much easier and more acceptable explanation as to why she wanted Shikamaru to touch her again…and why she wanted to touch him too. Seeking out warmth was only natural after all…well so was the desire for human touch, but Hinata wasn't about to go there.

Nope, not again.

"Now, I wonder where your bratty sister wandered off to." Shikamaru wondered aloud.

Hinata shrugged, causing her large winter jacket to shift, "With Hanabi-chan…it's anyone's guess. She has a way of moving around the compound while going completely unnoticed most of the time."

"Kind of like a mouse…" Shikamaru remarked with a sarcastic grin.

Hinata paused, her lips pursed, gaze turned upward; then nodded, "I suppose…"

"Hey! Who are you calling a rat, lazy Nara?!" a voice behind them yelled.

Looking over his shoulder, Shikamaru smirked, "Oh so that's where you've been hiding, Brat. Funny, I would think you'd rather hang out in the rubbish pile…"

"The only way I got into the rubbish pile the last time you were here, was because you pushed me in it, with your stupid shadow ninjutsu!" Hanabi yelled clear across the yard, obviously still angry at that particular incident.

"And as for you Hinata! Quit snickering behind your hand. I know you're laughing with him!" Hanabi yelled, catching her elder sibling in the act of giggling with a palm over her mouth.

An exhale of relief escaped Shikamaru's lips. To him this felt more natural, more comfortable, than him having to come up with something flirtatious and borderline 'wrong' to say every time Hinata was near him.

However, relief was soon replaced with surprise as Shikamaru felt a smaller hand curl around his glove covered one. Looking to his right, he wasn't surprised to see Hinata there, but her hand clasped in his was something new.

Sure he had touched the girl's face earlier. But pats on the head and face touching they had both become used to. Watching over Kurenai's kid made for three stressful years; so simple and innocent touches like that were often welcomed as reassurance coming from one very exhausted teen to another.

Maybe them touching each other so often was what helped start and kept the rumors going; but Shikamaru found it to be okay because Hinata, though for being shy, was a very tactile person. So brief touches to hair or face were common between them.

Hand holding was well…a different sort of expression and really had never happened between them, until now that is.

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Hinata could feel her cheeks start to warm up again, but she kept excusing the embarrassment away by thinking to herself that she was just out to keep warm. Nothing romantic or needy about it…nope, nothing at all.

'Denial…' a part of the girl's mind singed to her, strangely it sounded like Hanabi.

Batting that thought away, Hinata clenched Shikamaru's hand in hers, "Um...I almost forgot to remind you. But…do you know if Kurenai-san has any plans for a birthday party?"

"Birthday party?" Shikamaru questioned, an eyebrow raised as confusion set in. It was the dead of winter. Kurenai-san's birthday was during the summer months.

Then it quickly dawned on him, "Oh…the kid's?" he asked.

Hinata nodded, "Yes. He's turning four in a few weeks."

"No…" Shikamaru said, sincere in his disbelief. It just didn't seem real to him that the whiney little squirt he watched grow up was almost four years old already.

Hinata smiled, "Yes. Um anyway…" another squeeze to Shikamaru's hand, "I…I was wondering…do you wantogooutonight?"

Dark eyes slowly blinked as Shikamaru tried to process the quick and grabbled words that just came from Hinata.

Raising his free hand- the only Hinata wasn't clinging to- to his left ear, Shikamaru made a motion of cleaning it out with a gloved fingertip.

"I don't think I heard you, but…did you just ask me out on a date?"

Hinata froze in place.

'Oh no…what did I just say? I did say that didn't I? But…I…can't. No, I can't go through this again.'

So quickly, the girl released Shikamaru's hand, taking a few steps back, "Uh…what I meant was…it's a team thing. I'm going out with Kiba and Shino-kun tonight…"

'Liar,' Hinata's inner self whispered to her, 'You haven't talked to or seen your teammates in weeks, let alone arranged to go out with them for dinner!'

"So…if you, Ino-san, and Chouji-kun come along too…maybe we could plan a small surprise party….maybe?" Hinata repeated, now feeling more unsure than before.

"Oh…so it's both our teammates are going to be there too?" Shikamaru asked, knowing he sounded like a complete idiot for asking when Hinata had already said so.

But he was so damn confused. First the hand holding, then Hinata asking him out, only to change it up and say it was a 'team get together…thing'.

'But then again, women in general just don't make sense.' Shikamaru reasoned while nodding his head to agree with Hinata's arrangement

"What time and where?" Shikamaru asked.

"Eh…" Hinata uttered with a small 'oh crap' smile on her face, "Uh…what time is good for you?" she asked.

Shikamaru considered for a moment, "Well Grandma most likely won't let me leave the medicine shop until sunset, same for Ino at the flower shop. Not sure what Chouji's been up to recently; but I think six sounds good. You?"

"Six is fine." Hinata said all the while wondering when and how she'd be able to track down both her teammates and out of the blue suddenly ask…no beg them to go out to eat with her. Hinata didn't want to end up looking like a fool…or a liar if her teammates didn't show up.

"Did you guys have a place in mind as to where to eat at?" Shikamaru asked.

Hinata shook her head and opened her mouth to suggest something, but Shikamaru cut her off with one of his own, "The Korean Barbeque place? Normally I wouldn't ask, but Chouji loves that place and rarely eats anywhere else." Shikamaru said, self-consciously rubbing a hand against the back of his head.

Why did it feel to Shikamaru like they were making arrangements for a date…when really it wasn't one?

"That's sounds good," Hinata said, "but to be honest I've never tried Korean Barbeque before, so it will be kind of a new experience for me."

"Never?" Shikamaru asked.

Hinata shook her head, "No. Usually my team chooses to go to a small sandwich place so Kiba and Akamaru can order hamburgers."

"No offence against Kiba…or Akamaru," Shikamaru said, "but the dog will most likely have to stay outside the restaurant."

"Ah, it'll be alright. I'm sure Kiba will save Akamaru some scraps to make up for it." Hinata replied with a smile.

Shikamaru snorted, "Hinata, the way my team eats…I doubt there will be enough table scraps to put in a doggie bag."

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'Why are they just talking?' Hanabi inwardly whined as she continued to spy on her sister and Shikamaru. Even though the Nara had found out her hiding place, it wasn't long before the two Chuunins were so engrossed in their ongoing conversation they had forgotten Hanabi was even there.

'God, they act so weird around each other…' Hanabi thought as she watched her sister take Shikamaru's hand.

'And what on earth do they have in common to be talking for so long?!' Hanabi wondered yet again. Her hands were about to freeze off since she had forgotten to put on some gloves before going outside; yet Hanabi was determined not to leave in case she missed something big, like the two of them kissing…or something.

But, no. All they did was talk…and talk…and talk some more…hold hands…talk more.

'So…bored…about to…fall asleep…in snow.' Hanabi thought as she leaned up against the building for support. She would have hated to 'die' of boredom and end up having a bunch of snow up her nose.

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After making their plans. Shikamaru found their conversation winding around all the cute and funny things that happened when they were Kurenai's preferred baby-sitters.

Sure Hinata's former sensei did call on them occasionally to watch the kid; but now Konohamaru and his little group seemed to have shouldered the majority of baby-sitting, since his sensei realized baby-sitting meant D-ranked missions.

"He misses you a lot…" Hinata said suddenly.

"Who?" Shikamaru asked.

Hinata smiled, "Masura-chan. He talks about you all the time and asks me when you're coming back to visit."

Shikamaru cringed a little on the inside. It wasn't that Shikamaru was neglectful in his promise to Kurenai-san; but last year he was busy helping Naruto find ways to track down the still elusive Sasuke, and Akatsuki problems kept cropping up since the leader- Paine- had yet to be captured or killed.

"Sorry. I would say that I'm not over there a lot because I don't have a lot of time on my hands, but…I guess Masura wouldn't understand that."

"No, no I'm sure he would." Hinata said, though her smile was still warm and welcoming, "But, maybe if you were around more, Masura-chan would get your name right."

"I hope so," Shikamaru grumbled, "I'm getting tired of being called 'Shika-niichan."

A small giggle came from the pale-eyed girl, the fingers of her free hand tucking back wayward strands of indigo hair.

"Ah, I think it's a cute nickname." Hinata admitted.

"I'm a guy though. Guys don't like having people say things like 'cute' about them, Hinata." Shikamaru reminded his companion.

"Well…" Hinata started to say something, but a sudden and abrupt clearing of the throat behind the two young adults, startled both Shikamaru and Hinata into turning around.

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Hands hidden in the sleeves of his robe, Hiashi's pale gaze narrowed on his eldest daughter and the Nara boy.

A man who liked to quickly and cleanly get to the point, Hiashi took one look at Shikamaru and asked, "And to what do I owe the pleasure of having you visit our home…Shikamaru-kun?" he asked coolly.

Shikamaru swallowed nervously. He had run ins with Hiashi in the past. All of which concerned Hiashi threatening bodily harm to Shikamaru if anything where to 'happen' while the two teens spent the evenings at Kurenai-san's apartment.

So currently, Hiashi was high on Shikamaru's: People who scare the crap out of me List. The highest ranking persons being a tie between his mother and his ex Temari, but Hiashi was clearly a close second.

Hinata wasn't much help in this situation, since the girl was quiet and had her gaze turned to stare at the snow covered ground.

"Hinata…shouldn't you be training with Neji-kun?" Hiashi reminded, a not-very subtle way of telling the young woman to scram.

Quietly, Hinata gave a quick nod, her hand released Shikamaru's, bowed once to her father, then turned to walk on.

Left alone, Shikamaru knew his only hope for survival was that he was out in a open area in the center of a large clan, there would be witnesses should Hiashi decide to murder him for holding Hinata's hand. And it since it was the daylight hours, Hiashi would have a hard time hiding his body- again should the Hyuuga clan head decide to kill him.

Yet as Hiashi came closer to discuss the matter of business that brought Shikamaru to the Hyuuga clan, the young man couldn't stop himself from looking at Hiashi and thinking to himself: 'Oh please don't kill me…please?'

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Notes: Sorry for the short chapter and again, I know it isn't very exciting now; but it will get better within in the next few chapters, I promise.

Also, Hinata is feeling the effects of the 'vitamins', can't you tell?

Thanks for reading! Later!


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